Water heater



Feb;- 15 @1927.

G. G. KITZ'EMAN WATER HEATER Original Filed July 8, 1922 IVNVENTOR:

QFFlCE.

GEORGE G. KITZEHAN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WATER HEATER.

Application filed July 8, 1922, Serial No. 573,589. Renewed July 2, 1926.

This invention relates to devices for heating water for household and similar purposes.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device in which the heating medium is passed back and forth over the surfaces of the water-holding element.

Another object is to provide a device in which the water outlet is arranged at a point near the inlet for the heating medium, and the cold water is allowed to enter the device at a point which the heating medium reaches only after having fulfilled thelargcr portion of its duty.

Another object is to provide an automatic gas vent, operative and controlled by the movement of the discharged water.

Another object is to provide a thermostat to control the heating.

' Another object is to provide a forced air draft.

Other objects will appear from the following description and appended claims as well as from the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1' is a general vertical midsectional view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the waterholding element of the device on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the waterholding element of the device on line 3-'3 of Fig. 1, a portion of the corrugated casing only is illustrated, since the corrugations repeat in a similar manner in the whole circle.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device having connections and controlling means rou hly outlined and somewhat diagrammatically arranged in relation to the device.

The wate-r holding element of the device is made of the inner casing 4 and the outer casing 5. The water connectionfi is in communication with the water-holding chamber 7 at a low point, as indicated at 8.

lVater, introduced into the chamber 7 is compelled to rise when water is drawn from the device- From the highest point-of the chamber 7, indicated at 9, the Water is discharged into the center pipe 10, through which the water passes in a downward di-' rection.

A partition 11 is provided for directing and deflecting the heating medium in desired directions. The partition 11 is pref erabl made of asbestos or any other similar reproof material. The heatin medium is directed, first, upwardly in t e direction of the arrows 12 within the fireproof casing 11, then, downwardly in the direction of the arrows 13 between the casing 11 and the inner water-holding casing 4, then,

in the direction of the arrows 14, to escape in the direction of the arrows 15, through the vent 16.

An outer casing 17 incloses the Waterholding chamber or element, having a bottom 18, so that the heating medium is C0111? pelled to pass in the directions set forth above. A damper 19 is provided to control the heating medium passing through the device.

A burner 20 provided with a pilot burner 21 is disposed in the lower end of the casing 11, so that the heating medium will pass in the direction of the arrows as set ,forth above. The burner ma be supplied with gas, oil, or both, a supp y connection being indicated at 22.

To assure a proper draft through the device at all times, a rotary blast fan is preferably provided as indicated at 23, in the direction to force air through the casing 11. This fan is provided with a pulley 24, to be operated by a water motor 25, or by an electric motor, not shown in the drawing. The water motor 25 is operative by the discharged water, the pipe 10 terminating in the pipe 26, and passing the discharged water through the motor 25. A belt-27 is illustrated to connect the water motor with the pulley of the fan 23.

A thermostat of any well-known make is inserted at a point indicated at 28 to control the supply of heat-producing medium to the burner, a small pipe 29 being inserted between the hot water discharge and the thermostat, and the fuel supply pipe 22 being connected with the thermostat. A detailed illustration of a thermostat may be dispensed with, since any well known make of thermostat may,'of course, be used. An overheatin of the water in the discharge pipe 10 in uen'ces the thermostat through the pipe 29, and the fuel supply is controlled by the thermostat, as will easily be understood without further illustration and explanation. On opening the discharge valve 30,- the motor 25 is set in motion, forcing the draft through the heating system, and a change in the ten'lperature of the disc zrgmg water influences the thermostat to supply the pro er amount of fuel to the burner.

T e heating medium at its highest temperature normally strikes the water-hold- 5 ing element at the upper termination at 9, and the heating medium is normally reduced to some extent by the time it reaches the point 14. To equalize, as nearly as possible, the heat-radiating power of the heating ele- 1.: ment, the inner casing is provided with corrugations as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, indicated at 31 and 32. The spaces 31, intended for the water, are preferably narrower than the spaces 32, intended for the i5 heating medium, so that a proportionally small amount of water. is subjected to the largest possible amount of heating medium. The space 33 between the inner corrugated casing t and the outer casing 5 is also kept proportionally narrow to assure a quick heating of the water, and to fully utilize the heating medium.

To overcome the objection that gas or unburned fuel might accumulate in the hollow 2 of the inner casing l above the upper end and near the upper end of the casing 11, vents 34 are provided, passing through the water chamber 7 small tubes being inserted between the inner casing 4 and the outer.

casing 5, controlled by the valve mechanism 35. The spring 36 maintains the valve 37 normally in a position to shut ofi the passage from the upper point 9 in the water chamber 7 to the pipe 10, so that the vents 3 34 are free when no water is being taken from the device, that is, when no forced draft' is maintained through the device in the direction of the arrows 12, 13, 14 and 15. On drawing water from the device, the valve 37 is forced downwardly by the passing of water from the point 9 into the pipe 10, the vents 34 are closed thereby, and the heat is circulated in the regular direction of the arrows as described above.

It will be understood that other well known mechanism may be inserted between the discharge pipe 26 and the fuel supply pipe 22, so as to reduce the fuel supply when no water is drawn off, and so that the fuel supply is increased when water is drawn off, instead of having the thermostat at the point illustrated in the drawing.

Having thus described my claim:

1. In a water heater, a water-holding body hollowed in the center to form a'heating chamber and embodying a waterrholding top portion, the top portion having apertures to form vents for the heating chamber, a water supply connection for the body, a water-discharge connection for the body,

invention, I

a heating element disposed to discharge into the heating chamber, and controllin means disposed in operative relation to t e sai vents and embodying a water-actuated memposed to discharge into ber extending into the said water-discharge connection so as to close the vents when water is discharged,

2. In a water heater, a water-holding body hollowed in the center to form a heating chamber and embodying a. water-holding top portion, the top portion having apertures forming vents for the heating ChfilTlber, a water supply connection, a water-discharge connection in communication with the said water-holding top portion and extending downwardly through the said heatin chamber, controlling means embodying va ve-members adapted to control the passage through said vents and having a wateractuated member extending into said waterdischarge connection and heating means disthe heating chamber.

In a water heater, a water-holding body hollowed in the center to form a heating chamber and embodying a water-holding top portion, the said top portion having means to allow passage of roducts of combustion from the heating ciamber, a water supply connection in communication with the water-holding body, a water-discharge connection in communication with the waterholding top portion and extending downwardly through the heatin chamber, heating means disposed to disc arge upwardly into the heating chamber, controlling means embodying a water-actuated member extending into said water-discharge connection and disposed for restricting the passage of products of combustion from the said chamber through the top portion so as to deflect and direct such roducts of combustion in a downward direction when water is discharged, and a housing disposed over the top of the said body having a dischar e out let in its top end and enclosing sai body to a ppint near the lower end of the heating cham er adapted to receive products of combustion when deflected and directed downwardly out of the lower end of the heating chamber by the said controlling means to discharge through the outlet of the housing and adapted to receive the products of combustion throu h the top of said water-holding body w en no water is discharged from the heater.

4. In a water heater, a water containing shell, a source of heat, a member for controlling the flow of heated air from said source, said member being movable between two pgsitions, means cooperating with said mem r in one position thereof to cause heated air from said source to travel along both the inner and outer surfaces of said shell, said member in its other position permitting heated air from said source to travel through said shell without traveling along the outer surface thereof, means holding (1 said member normally in the last mentioned.

position, and, means whereby discharge of Ill) water from said shell actuates said member to the first mentioned position.

5. In a water heater, a water container, a source of heat, means including a member adjustable to cause heated air from said source to travel along different amounts of the surface area of said container, and means operated by the flow of water through said container to adjust said member.

6. In a water heater, a pair of hollow members one of which is in the form of an inverted cup disposed over and spaced at its upper end and at its sides from the other, a source of heat at the lower end of the inner member, one of said members being in the form of a water containing shell having inlet and outlet openings, said cup-shaped member having an opening formed through the top thereof for the passage of heated air from said source, a valve for controlling said opening, and means whereby discharge of water from said shell member moves said valve to close said opening.

bers having a passage for the water to be i heated, a source of heat at the lower end of the first hollow member, a "alve for the 0 ening in the top Wall of the second ho low member, means to hold said valve normally in an open position, and means operated by flow of water through said passage to close said valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

GEORGE G. KITZEMAN. 

